Italy

'Italy' Articles

Italy and South Korea on Thursday joined a growing list of countries in which class-action lawsuits and government investigations into Apple's iPhone battery slowdowns are underway.
Italy's antitrust body revealed it had opened a probe into allegations that Apple used iOS updates to slow older smartphones and push clients into buying new models (via Reuters). The Italian watchdog said Apple had failed to inform customers that the updates might have a negative impact on the performance of their phones, suggesting the company might have infringed four separate articles of the national consumers' code.
In a first among the recent wave of battery probes, Samsung is also suspected of orchestrating "a general commercial policy taking advantage of the lack of certain components to curb the performance times of their products and induce consumers to buy new versions," said the Italian watchdog. If found guilty, the two companies risk multi-million euro fines.
Meanwhile, a South Korean consumer group has filed a criminal complaint against Apple CEO Tim Cook, accusing his company of defrauding iPhone users by slowing down devices without warning to compensate for poor battery performance.
In its complaint, filed Thursday, the advocacy group Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty accused Apple of destruction of property and fraud. According to Reuters, the group also represents around 120 plaintiffs in a civil damage suit filed against Apple earlier in January.
Apple has already admitted that it slows down some older iPhones with degraded batteries during times

Apple quietly updated several of its European online stores for refurbished products over the last couple of days, and has added its latest 27-inch 5K iMac models to the discounted listings for the first time.
The iMacs were first released in June of 2017 and feature Kaby Lake processors, faster SSDs, and AMD discrete graphics. Online stores in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain have all been updated with the new stock, although the largest range of configurations currently appears in the United Kingdom.
In the U.K., for example, an entry-level model with 8GB RAM, a 1TB Fusion Drive, a 3.4GHz i5 processor, and a Radeon Pro 570 is priced at £1,489, which is a £260 discount off the standard price.
This is the first time the machines have been available in refurbished stores around Europe since their introduction at the 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference. Apple first began selling the refurb models in the U.S. and Canada back in August.
In addition, Apple has boosted its European stock of refurbished 21.5-inch 4K iMacs, also released in June of this year. Apple has added a range of configurations, from low-end to top-of-the-line. As with all refurbished products, stock will fluctuate regularly based on the machines Apple is getting in for repair.
All of Apple's refurbished products go through a rigorous refurbishment process before being offered for sale, which includes inspection, repairs, cleaning, and repackaging. Refurbished Macs come with a one-year warranty that can be extended with an AppleCare+ purchase. For more tips on purchasing a

Apple Pay continues its global expansion today with several new participating banks, and more coming soon, in France, Italy, Ireland, Spain, and the UK.
In France, Apple says Apple Pay will be available later this year to Banque BCP and Arkéa Banque Privée customers, and through mobile-only banking and/or payment solutions Orange Bank, Lydia, and N26.
In Italy, as promised, Apple Pay is available now for American Express credit cards issued directly by American Express.
In Ireland, Apple Pay is available now at AIB, one of the so-called "Big Four" financial institutions in the country.
In Spain, Apple says Apple Pay will be available later this year at CaixaBank and mobile-only banking app imaginBank. Visa in general will also begin supporting Apple Pay in Spain by the end of the year.
In the UK, Apple Pay is now supported by mobile-only banking app Starling Bank.
Earlier this month, Apple announced several other new and forthcoming banks with Apple Pay support in France, Italy, and Spain. Apple maintains a complete list of Apple Pay participating banks in Europe on its website.
Update: Canadian bank Tangerine says its debit cards now work with Apple Pay following credit card support last year. (Thanks, Chris

Apple has updated its regional websites to indicate that Apple Pay is expanding to additional banks in France, Italy, and Spain.
In France, Apple Pay will be available later this year at Crédit Mutuel de Bretagne, Crédit Mutuel du Sud-Ouest, and Crédit Mutuel Massif Central, which are the three regional federations of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa. Apple Pay is also coming to Crédit Mutuel Arkéa's online banking subsidiary Fortuneo, and Max.
In Italy, Apple Pay is now available at Banca Mediolanum for Mediolanum Card debit cards, which are based on Mastercard's Maestro network.
In Spain, Apple Pay is now supported by Boon, a mobile wallet solution based on a prepaid account with a digital Mastercard. Boon users top-up their accounts with a debit or credit card, or via wire transfer. Boon also supports Apple Pay in the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Ireland, and Italy.
In Spain, Apple Pay will also be available through mobile-only bank N26 later this year. The service has a partnership with Mastercard.
Apple maintains a list of Apple Pay participating banks in Europe, although it has yet to be updated to reflect today's

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera [Google Translate] published a headline today that translates to "the bill that could ban the iPhone in Italy."
The bill in question, Senate Act 2484, is aimed at ensuring Italians have open access to software, content, and services. The portion of the bill potentially relevant to Apple essentially says that users should have the right to download any software, whether proprietary or open source, on any platform.
An excerpt from Article Four of the loosely translated bill:Users have the right to, in an appropriate format to the required technology platform […] use fair and non-discriminatory software, proprietary or open source […] content and services of their choice.It's well known that iOS is a walled garden, in which apps can only be distributed through the App Store, and only if developers adhere to Apple's guidelines. The only way to download apps outside of Apple's parameters is by jailbreaking, which is in violation of Apple's end-user agreement.
Naturally, there are some concerns about how the iPhone and other devices could be affected if the bill is approved, although the prospect of any Apple product being outright banned in Italy seems highly unlikely.
The bill was introduced last year by Stefano Quintarelli, an Italian entrepreneur and member of the Scelta Civica political party in Italy. The bill was approved by the Chamber of Deputies in July 2016, and it now must be approved by the Senate of the Republic, within Italy's parliamentary government.
(Thanks, Macitynet and iSpazio!)

Apple's first iOS Developer Academy opened in Naples, Italy last October, providing 200 students with practical skills and experience to help turn their app ideas into reality and bring them to market on the App Store.
One of those students is a young Neapolitan man named Lucio, who left Naples for the United Kingdom to find a technology job, but was enticed to return to the city upon hearing about Apple's Developer Academy.
The Independent says after Lucio applied for the academy, he left his job at Starbucks so that he could study properly. He felt it was a risky move, but fortunately, he passed the test and joined the first year's class of students.
Lucio described the academy as the "opportunity of my life" and, nearly eight months later, said he would "totally recommend" the experience to anyone looking to come from elsewhere in the world.“I was taking a risk, but this was the opportunity of my life,” he says. He had tried university already, and found it lacking because it had so little focus on student’s enjoyment and the work of actually solving problems and working with other people.The Independent explains how Apple's Developer Academy has made Naples a more attractive city for young people to thrive in, after years of suffering from "brain drain" following an industrial decline.“If you stay here you are part of an ecosystem that will continue to train developers,” says Giorgio Ventre, a professor at the University of Naples Federico II. “This is something that you do need if you want to open a company. You want to count on yourself - but you

Apple Pay could arrive in Italy as soon as tomorrow, according to Italian tech blog MacPost.it. The imminent launch of Apple's mobile payment system in Italy has been rumored for several weeks now, but the website claims to have spoken to three different sources from the retail and banking sector who independently confirmed that Apple Pay is set to go live on Wednesday throughout the country.
The exact time of the launch remains unknown, according to the sources, but the general expectation is that Apple Pay will be announced in the morning. Meanwhile, in another indication of the impending launch, the Apple Maps app has started listing Apple Pay as "accepted" at certain retail outlets in Italy, as the following image provided by MacPost.it shows.
Last week, MacRumors noted that an Apple support document shows Italy highlighted on a map which is supposed to indicate Apple Pay participating banks and card issuers. Apple's regional Italian website has listed Apple Pay as "coming soon" since March. Now it looks like it may be only hours away. The contactless payment service is expected to be available in the country through UniCredit, Carrefour Bank, and

Apple today announced that it will soon open a new retail store at Piazza Liberty, or Liberty Square, in Milan, Italy.
As revealed in city planning documents earlier this year, the store will be located entirely below the outdoor amphitheater. The sales floor will be accessible by walking down a staircase situated between two waterfalls that form part of the larger fountain. There will also be an elevator available.
Apple is developing the store in partnership with architecture firm Foster and Partners, who have helped design many of the company's most significant retail spaces around the world and its new Apple Park headquarters.
Apple's retail chief Angela Ahrendts wants Apple Stores to be more of community gathering places, rather than just a place to buy the latest iPhone or iPad. As part of those plans, Apple Piazza Liberty will be an open space for all to "have a break, be with friends, and discover new interests."
The store will feature Apple's next-generation retail design with indoor trees and a large screen for "Today at Apple" sessions and other events.
(Thanks, setteBIT!)

Apple is "working rapidly" to expand Apple Pay to additional countries in Asia and Europe, and there's increasing evidence and reports that suggest the service may launch in Italy and Germany in the near future.
Apple recently updated its Apple Pay participating banks and card issuers in Asia-Pacific support document with a new image of Europe that has Italy highlighted. The change isn't visible on the United States or Europe versions of the page, suggesting that it may have been added to the Asia-Pacific page prematurely.
MacRumors discovered a colored version of the image stored on Apple's servers that makes it easier to see Italy highlighted.
Apple's regional Italian website has listed Apple Pay as "coming soon" since March, so it's only a matter of time—WWDC?—before the payments service launches in the country. At launch, Apple Pay will work with Visa and MasterCard in Italy through participating banks UniCredit, Boon, and Carrefour Banca.
Meanwhile, German blog iPhone-Ticker reports that Apple Pay should launch in Germany in the fall or winter. As in some other countries, however, the negotiations between Apple and German banks allegedly continue to be challenging, likely as both sides struggle to reach an agreement over fees and control.
Last October, Germany was similarly highlighted on the Apple Pay availability map, but only for a brief period of time.
Apple Pay launched in the United States in October 2014, and it has since expanded to 14 other countries and regions: Australia, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, New

Apple has updated its Italian website with an Apple Pay page, confirming its introduction in the country is close at hand.
Last month, Apple added complete translations of Apple Pay support documents to its Italian and German regional websites, indicating the launch of the mobile payment system in those countries is just a matter of time.
Today, for Italy at least, that launch appears one step closer, with the "arriving soon" web page listing UniCredit, Boon, and Carrefour Banca as participating banks.
Also today, Apple Pay launched in Ireland, making it the 14th country to accept Apple's mobile payments service.

Apple has enabled carrier billing in Austria for Drei customers, Italy for Three customers, and Singapore for M1 Limited customers, expanding upon the feature's existing availability among select carriers in Belgium, Germany, Japan, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The payment method enables customers to pay for iTunes content, App Store apps, iBooks, and Apple Music subscriptions without needing a credit or debit card, or even a bank account. Instead, purchases are added to a customer's mobile phone bill and paid off at the end of the month.
Apple has a support document explaining how to set up carrier billing on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and Mac or

Apple is planning to open a flagship retail store underneath Piazza del Liberty, or Liberty Square, in Milan, the most populous metropolitan area in Italy, according to preliminary guidelines approved by the city's planning department last month.
Render of planned flagship Apple Store in Milan, Italy
The retail store will be developed by architecture firm Foster and Partners, who have partnered with Apple for several of its flagship retail stores around the world and its upcoming Campus 2 headquarters in Cupertino, California.
The location is expected to be "one of the most innovative and technological Apple Stores in the world," and it will include an above-ground amphitheater where Apple plans to host at least eight public events of cultural significance per year.
The amphitheater will "represent the heart of the square," with steps leading to an intermediate level between the square and the underlying store. An elevator will be included at the plaza level to ensure the store is fully accessible.
A large glass screen made from a waterfall will mark the entrance to the store, which will take over the space currently occupied by Apollo Spazio Cinema. No timeline was outlined for completion of the project.
Apple's upcoming store in Kunming, China
In related news, Apple today announced it will open its next store in Kunming, China on January 21 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
(Thanks, setteBIT and Storeteller!)

An Italian judge has accepted a nearly $50,000 settlement agreement with the head of Apple's Irish-based unit as part of a probe into allegations that the company failed to pay taxes in Italy (via Reuters).
A six-month jail sentence for the Apple executive has been converted into the payment of a 45,000 euro ($49,126) fine as part of the settlement agreement, according to Reuters' source.
The original investigations were completed in March 2015 and accused Apple of booking profits generated in Italy through an Irish subsidiary in an effort to lower its taxable income base and save nearly €900 million from 2008 through 2013.
At the time, Apple had called the allegations against its employees "completely without merit". But in December 2015, it was reported Apple had agreed to pay 318 million euros to Italy – only a third of the amount it was said to have failed to pay in corporate taxes over the five year period. However, under Italian law, a settlement agreement does not imply an admission of guilt.
Milan prosecutors investigating the allegations have also asked for the case against two managers from the Italian subsidiary of Apple to be dropped, the source said.
Apple Italia is part of the company's European operation headquartered in Ireland, where Apple pays a significantly lower corporate tax rate compared to other EU countries. Ireland has a corporate tax rate of 12.5% for normal business activities, compared to a standard rate of 27.5% in Italy.
Apple's tax policies in Europe have come under intense scrutiny over the past three years, as the

Apple this week opened its first iOS Developer Center at the University of Naples Federico II's new San Giovanni a Teduccio campus, located in a coastal suburb east of Naples, Italy, and the company is already planning on expanding the initiative due to its popularity.
At an event celebrating the opening of the Developer Center that was documented by Italian site Maccitynet.it, Apple's vice president of environment, policy, and social initiatives Lisa Jackson told gathered students about an upcoming iOS Foundation Program, designed to teach many more students about the fundamentals of iOS app development.
A shorter version of the longer course at the iOS Developer Center, the iOS Foundation Program will see Apple teaming up with "at least five universities" across the Campania region to offer a three to four week course in app development. Apple expects the iOS Foundation Program to be available to 800 students during its first year, expanding from there.
Jackson shared few details on the upcoming program, but said it is aimed at introducing students to the iOS ecosystem.It's a great opportunity to magnify the wonderful beginning here. It's a great opportunity to work with students and teach across the region and advance our work and the work you're doing at the first academy in Europe.With both the iOS Developer Center and the iOS Foundation Program, Apple is hoping to give students the skills and understanding they need to transition from the education they receive in school to actually developing an app. According to Jackson, it's important to Apple

Apple's first iOS Developer Academy is set to open this week at the University of Naples Federico II's new San Giovanni a Teduccio campus, located in a coastal suburb east of Naples, Italy.
The campus will see Apple teaching 200 Italian students how to write code to create apps that will run on Apple's iOS devices during the nine month course. Students will be provided with a current-generation MacBook, iPhone, and iPad, along with tuition, all for free.
More than 4,000 students applied for 200 spots during an open enrollment program. Next year, more spots will be available, as the university plans to accept 400 students.
Leopoldo Angrisani, a professor who has helped get the program up and running, spoke with The Guardian and shared some details on the campus ahead of its opening on October 6. Apple had a hand in the design of the academy, which is housed in one of three modern-looking buildings with glass facades.The layout of the large, open-plan classroom was designed by Apple. "The didactic model is very new [for us]," Angrisani said. Small groups of students will sit at round tables equipped with special acoustic systems so the teacher can communicate with each table individually about their work. All courses will be taught in English, since it is meant to be open to students from around the world.
"Competition will be a fundamental part of the class," Angrisani said.Couches and a lounge area are included in the classroom, giving students a chance to rest, and Apple expects collaboration between students will be a key part of the classroom experience.

Apple and the University of Naples Federico II have jointly announced that the first-ever iOS Developer Academy will open in October 2016 at the university's new campus in San Giovanni a Teduccio, a coastal suburb east of Naples, Italy. The news was first reported by German website Macerkopf.
The free academy will provide more than 200 students with "practical skills and training on developing apps" in the first year, with more to follow in the years ahead, as part of a nine-month curriculum designed and supported by Apple. The facility includes labs and access to the latest Apple hardware and software."We are thrilled to be working with Università di Napoli Federico II to launch the first iOS Developer Academy in Europe," said Luca Maestri, Apple's CFO.First semester courses will focus on enhancing and improving students' software development skills on iOS, while second semester students will attend courses on the creation of startups and app design, and work together to create apps that could eventually be released on the App Store.
Students can find out more or apply on the University of Naples website. Applicants are required to take an online test in Italian or English, with successful candidates moving to an interview stage. The university will also be accepting applications through its website for teachers for the Academy in the coming months.
Apple's plans to open its first iOS app development center in Europe were first announced by CEO Tim Cook in January."Europe is home to some of the most creative developers in the world and we’re thrilled to be

Apple has opened registration in the U.S. and a number of other countries (links below) for its annual Apple Summer Camp, where kids aged 8 to 12 can attend a company retail store and learn how to create interactive books and movies using Apple products and software, ranging from iBooks Author on Mac to iMovie on iPad.
Apple's summer workshops will be hosted between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. local time, on various dates between July 11 and August 12, in the United States, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Parents are recommended to sign up early due to limited spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis.
This year's free workshops are called "Stories in Motion with iMovie" and "Interactive Storytelling with iBooks." A third workshop will be offered in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom called "Coding Games and Programming Robots," in which kids will learn visual block-based coding for games, apply logic skills and problem solving, learn to program their own robots, and more.
Apple notes that children attending Apple Summer Camp 2016 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian for the duration of each workshop. Once their initial registration is confirmed, parents can register another child. All campers will receive a complimentary youth-size Apple Summer Camp

Apple today expanded its "Trade Up with Installments" program for iPhone to France, Italy, and Spain, enabling customers to trade in an eligible older-generation iPhone, Android, or Windows Phone smartphone and put the value of that device towards a new iPhone based on a 24-month payment plan.
When a customer in Italy trades in a used 16GB iPhone 5s for a new 16GB iPhone SE, for example, an amount of €16.98 must be paid each month for the duration of the two-year installment plan. A total of €425.52 would be owed after interest rates are applied to the price. Exact prices vary depending on the combination.
The program is effectively a loan handled by Apple as an intermediary, so customers will need approved credit to qualify. The exact amounts paid may vary depending on the condition of the smartphone traded in. Apple's financing partners include Sofinco in France, Agos Ducato in Italy, and Cetelem in Spain.
"Trade Up with Installments" was heretofore exclusive to the U.S., where the program is financed by Citizens Bank with a 0% interest rate.
Apple recommends that customers speak to a Specialist at an Apple Retail Store for more details. The offer is not available online and is set to end on August 31, 2016 in France, Italy, and Spain. Apple's similar iPhone Upgrade Program remains exclusive to the U.S., so this program is a viable alternative for financing a new iPhone.
(Thanks, setteBIT!)

Apple today updated its iOS feature availability page with 23 new Flyover locations around the world, including cities in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
Flyover is an Apple Maps feature that provides photo-realistic 3D views of primarily large cities and landmarks. In satellite view, users can zoom, pan, and rotate to get a closer look at notable points of interest in supported regions.
The full list of new Flyover locations is available below, but some areas may only now be reflected on Apple's website:A Coruña, Spain
Ajaccio, France
Archon, France
Bastia, France
Besançon, France
Blackpool, England
Bonifacio, France
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Calvi, France
Corte, France
Ghent, Belgium
Guaymas, Mexico
Messina, Italy
Mobile, AL, United States
Newcastle, Australia
Nottingham, England
Porto-Vecchio, France
Propriano, France
Raleigh, NC, United States
Salamanca, Spain
San Sebastián, Spain
Taichung, Taiwan
Wichita, KS, United StatesApple also confirmed that Maps traffic data is now available in Malaysia and Singapore in southeast Asia.
Apple added 20 new Flyover locations in 12 countries last

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